US should delay North Korea meeting after Tillerson ouster: Ex-ambassador Richardson

The “unceremonious” firing of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is actually “very concerning,” especially in light of the upcoming summit between President Donald Trump as well as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Bill Richardson, whose past diplomatic missions included negotiations with Pyongyang.

Last week, Trump accepted an invitation to meet with Kim by May, although of which has yet to be arranged The two leaders have exchanged barbs inside past over North Korea’s nuclear program.

Richardson told CNBC’s “Closing Bell” on Tuesday of which the meeting is actually “the most significant negotiations I think the country is actually going to have during the first term.”

as well as those negotiations have to be led by a secretary of State, contended Richardson, who formerly served as ambassador to the United Nations as well as as Energy Secretary under former President Bill Clinton.

Therefore, he believes the meeting should be delayed by a month.

Trump fired Tillerson earlier Tuesday in a tweet as well as tapped CIA Director Mike Pompeo to fill the position.

However, Pompeo first needs to be confirmed by Congress.

“Pompeo is actually going to take a least a month to get confirmed. He’s got to get up to speed,” Richardson said. “He’s an intelligence official … nevertheless he’s got to learn about Asia, diplomacy. He’s got to learn about many issues relating to the State Department.”

He added, “I just don’t understand why there’s such a rush to move ahead” on the North Korea meeting. “Do of which right. Do of which which has a full national security team.”

A senior administration official told CNBC last week of which the development was just a meeting as well as not a promise of sanctions relief or concessions through the U.S.

“We’re not even talking about negotiations,” he said. “The president is actually not prepared to reward North Korea in exchange for talks, nevertheless he’s willing to meet as well as he expects North Korea to start putting action to these words.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Richardson’s remarks.

— CNBC’s Amanda Macias as well as Christina Wilkie contributed to of which report.